Owls and Rats in the American Funnyhouse: Adrienne Kennedy’s Drama.” American Literature: A Journal of Literary History, Criticism, and Bibliography 63 (1991): 507-32.

citations begins with an MLA citation. For example: Sollors, Werner. “Owls and Rats in the American Funnyhouse: Adrienne Kennedy’s Drama.” American Literature: A Journal of Literary History, Criticism, and Bibliography 63 (1991): 507-32. *You may also view the sample student annotated bibliography provided for you in the module. Each of the 3 citations should do most of the following: Explanation of the main purpose and scope of the cited work Author's intellectual/academic credentials Work's intended audience Brief description of the work's content Significance of the work as a contribution to the subject Possible shortcomings or bias in the work Any significant special features of the work (This is a good time to use a quote from the source.) Your own brief opinion/impression of the work 2. Effective Outlining—You MUST do and show Steps 1-3 to get full credit!(2 PAGES) STEP 1: Brainstorming: List the major concepts/ideas related to your topic. Under each, free-write words or phrases related to those concepts/ideas. Listing difficult questions: Make a list of a few questions related to your topic that you think would be very challenging to answer. Your thesis should come from one of these questions so that it represents both a topic AND an assertion. Identify your thesis: STEP 2: Identify your audience: In one complete sentence, describe the audience for whom this piece of writing is intended. Decide on your organizational plan: Will you structure your paragraphs in chronological order, description, criteria, categorical order, order of importance, order of appeals? In one complete sentence explain which organizational plan you will use. STEP 3: Outlining the body: You may have 3 body paragraphs or more. In a compare and contrast essay, you may only have 2 body paragraphs—one for similarities and one for differences in some cases. Why do we choose 3 body paragraphs in the first place? Perhaps we feel 3 reasons is the minimum number of points required to win an argument! Works for All Essays I. Explain your first main point. A. Provide details, proof, comparisons, and/or appeals, which support your main point. 1. Analysis of details. B. More details, proof, comparisons, and/or appeals, which support your main point. 1. Analysis of details. C. More details, proof, comparisons, and/or appeals, which support your main point. 1. Analysis of details. II. Explain your 2nd main point. A. Provide details, proof, comparisons, and/or appeals, which support your main point. 1. Analysis of details. B. More details, proof, comparisons, and/or appeals, which support your main point. 1. Analysis of details. C. More details, proof, comparisons, and/or appeals, which support your main point. 1. Analysis of details. III. Explain your 3rd main point. A. Provide details, proof, comparisons, and/or appeals, which support your main point. 1. Analysis of details. B. More details, proof, comparisons, and/or appeals, which support your main point. 1. Analysis of details. C. More details, proof, comparisons, and/or appeals, which support your main point. 1. Analysis of details. If you have completed steps 1-3, you have completed your outline! OTHER HELPFUL HINTS--Feel free to use one or more of these to begin and end your essays. See below. *Introduction strategies: a. Provide an interesting story/anecdote related to your topic. b. Pose a challenging question that makes the reader uncomfortable or makes him/her think. c. Discuss some statistics or research related to your topic that your reader might find interesting. d. Define, in your own words NOT Webster’s, your topic or some aspect of your topic. e. Discuss alternative views concerning the topic you are about to address. f. Provide an unusual comparison related to your topic. *Conclusion strategies: a. Restate main points b. Reflection on topic now that you have communicated your views. c. Relation of topic to you, your life, and your world. d. Prediction of future based on ideas presented. e. Final opinion concerning topic. 3. Fiction Essay Assignment(3 PAGES) You must write a paper analyzing one story from our textbook, which we have NOT studied. This is a research paper. If there is no research, you will receive a zero. As discussed in class, we came up with a format of sorts for this paper. See below for details. ASSIGNMENT: What is the theme of this story? Interpret the story's theme utilizing various literary conventions to prove that your interpretation is not only possible, but also probable. Be definitive and confident. Avoid summarizing or paraphrasing the story. THESIS: (must contain the subject but also have an assertion or arguable point) ex/ In "The Cask of the Amontillado," Poe illuminates how revenge is a catalyst that brings out the evil that lurks inside of all men. This thesis has a subject (duality of man) and an assertion (revenge brings out the evil inside every man.) USE THIS AS A GUIDE FOR WRITING YOUR THESIS: In ("story's title"), (author's name) demonstrates/illuminates/teaches/shows/exposes/etc... (finish the sentence). INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH: Provide background of your author and/or story. Your thesis should be the last sentence of this paragraph. UNDERLINE IT. BODY PARAGRAPHS: Choose any three of the following literary conventions to PROVE your thesis. You will essentially be organizing by categorical order as well as order of importance. Use a different literary convention (list below) for each body paragraph or section. In this way, you will organizing by categorical order, but also put your strongest convention last thereby organizing by order of importance as well. LIST OF LITERARY CONVENTIONS TO BE COVERED IN BODY PARAGRAPHS (Choose 3): 1. Character development/evolution 2. Setting 3. Tone and/or Point of View (may include irony, diction) 4. Symbolism CONCLUDING PARAGRAPH: Summarize your main ideas, but also find ways to connect this story to society and today's world. RESEARCH REQUIREMENTS: (1) MLA form (2) 3 sources (literary articles from our online library or other suitable source) (3) AT LEAST 4 parenthetical citations (Info quoted or paraphrased from your sources / written in MLA form) Ask yourself if your quotes are quote worthy! (4) Works Cited (completed in perfect MLA form) MINIMUM GRAMMAR EXPECTATIONS (DEAL BREAKERS: You get a zero!): Proper MLA research and style Written in the 3rd person Demonstrates clear Subject and Verb relationship Avoids fragments, run-ons, or comma splices *SUPERSTAR RESEARCHER TIP: RESEARCH WRITING IN A NUTSHELL *Tip to being successful! For each main point that you make in your body paragraphs, you need to do the following: a. Make a point or communicate an opinion that is unique and insightful. b. Use specific words or lines from the text to show what you are talking about. c. Cite information from one of your sources to establish credibility and/or further the concept d. Explain how the cited material connects to your main point and why it is important. OR IN OTHER WORDS... Make a point Connect it to the text Bring in the research Explain the importance General Research Paper Guidelines: 1. Do not summarize the story or paraphrase too much. 2. Make sure your quotes from your research are "quote worthy." 3. Make sure each quote has a tag line introducing it AND analysis explaining it. 4. Use clear topic sentences and concluding sentences for each paragraph. 5. Edit it!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I expect this college level! Use the success center. It should not be a grammar mess!